Today, around 126 million women are believed to be "missing" around the world – the result of son preference and genderbiased sex selection (GBSS), a form of discrimination that reflects the persistent low status of women and girls. The resulting gender imbalance also has a damaging effect on societies. Instances of increased sexual violence and trafficking have already been linked to the phenomenon. UNFPA is calling for renewed attention to the issue at a global level, and is accelerating efforts to develop programmes and policies that end all forms of discrimination, including son preference and gender-biased sex selection.